Recent advances in vibration energy harvesting reinforced by bioinspired designs/structures

Abstract

In the era of internet-of-things, artificial intelligence, and machine-to-machine (M2M) technology, energy harvesting (EH) emerged as a promising solution for battery-less self-powered systems used in various applications such as health monitoring, condition sensing, early warning, and fault diagnosis. Furthermore, advancements in low-power and embedded electronics have expanded the applicability of energy harvesters, particularly in smart and sustainable micro-electro-mechanical systems. Vibrational energy harvesters, which harvest energy from ambient vibrations, have received extensive research efforts. Bioinspired and biomimetic engineering has become increasingly important in the design of novel structures and materials that significantly enhance EH performance and functionality. Bioinspired designs, derived from plant and animal morphologies, exhibit unique mechanics, dynamics, nonlinearities, and structural flexibility, which can effectively amplify harvested energy at low and ultralow frequencies. This paper presents a comprehensive review of recent developments in vibration energy harvesters reinforced by bioinspired structures across piezoelectric, triboelectric, and electromagnetic EH technologies. The review covers critical aspects such as design methodologies, working principles, energy performance, and applications. An overall summary of the design benefits, value added by bioinspired structures, application potential, and key technical challenges is provided through in-depth analysis and discussion.